


What it Takes

by Apricots_from_Nara



Series: Sparked [4]
Category: The Transformers (IDW Generation One)
Genre: Domestic Violence, M/M, Mech Preg, Mild Bodily Dysphoria, Mnemosurgery, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Unethical Medicine, Unhealthy Relationships, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-17
Updated: 2016-06-23
Packaged: 2018-05-21 05:52:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,391
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6040669
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Apricots_from_Nara/pseuds/Apricots_from_Nara
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Trepan will do anything for love.</p><p>Even play god.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Please read Sparked from the Heart, and chapter 19 of Tails from the Heart to get the all the info you need.
> 
> Links:  
> Sparked from the Heart: http://archiveofourown.org/works/3330470/chapters/7281632  
> Chapter 19: http://archiveofourown.org/works/3805555/chapters/12259628

“We could melt him down. The unutrium would get us a lot of money.”

Trepan chewed on his thumb, looking over at his son. “That would destroy him.”

“Carrier. He’s dead. It doesn’t matter.”

“We have money. Lots of it. We don’t need more.” Trepan stopped the nervous action and looked fully at Mütter, “I’m not destroying him.”

Mütter’s lips pressed into a thin line. “You should. It would be better for everyone.”

“Get out.”

Mütter sighed, leaning forward and pressing a kiss to his carrier’s head. “Okay, but think about it. More money can’t hurt. You can’t do your job for ever.”

“I’m fine.” Trepan enforced, watching his son leave. He quickly went back to chewing on his thumb, glancing to the door way that lead to the room Overlord’s body lay.

He brought up his internal HUD, and searched for a bar. One called Maccadam’s old oil house.

\----

Trepan strode in, the bar going quiet for a moment. He looked around, noting some of the bots were looking at him like they were seeing something that utterly terrified them.

Trepan walked up to the bar, smiling. “You are the owner?”

Blurr looked at him and smiled in a charming way. “Yep. What can I get you?”

“Swindle.”

Blurr blinked. “You... Oh you want to talk to him? I can call him I guess.” Blurr whipped up a drink, and slid it to him, “Here. On the house. A friend of-”

“Not a friend. My lover used to be a Decepticon. Swindle got him a lovely deal on some things. Tell him Trepan wants to make a deal with him.”

Blurr coughed, starting to talk a bit faster. “Oh. Right, sorry. I just assumed.” Blurr went to the back room for a while. He came back out a while later. “You seem pretty popular.”

Trepan sipped his drink. “Oh?”

Blurr nodded. “Yeah, lots of eyes on you.”

Trepan looked over his shoulder, smirking as several bots quickly looked away. “Oh, I’m kind of infamous in Decepticon circles. I never did anything for them mind you. But my lover was quite the big deal.”

\----

“Well look who is hear. My favorite customer.” Swindle said, opening his arms.

“He’s dead Swindle, you don't have to kiss my aft.” Trepan said, tapping his servo on the bar counter.

“Doesn’t matter. I made a damned fortune on the contraband Overlord bought from me. That makes you a favored customer.”

Blurr could be heard dropping a glass off on the other end of the bar, and the place got quiet again. Swindle coughed. “Well, lets talk in the back. Don’t want to scare these patrons away.”

Trepan got up an followed him. As soon as the door closed behind him, he spoke. “I need a spark and spark chamber parts.”

Swindle stopped, large hands on his hips. “Thats... A hefty request. What kind of spark do you need?”

“Point one percenter. Duocon with a tank and jet mode.” Trepan said with out hesitation, “I hear hot spots are popping up again. You should find one that fits.”

Swindle stared at trepan for a long time before sighing. “It won’t be cheap.”

“I will pay you two million shanix.” Trepan said, smirking as Swindle got a gleam in his Optics. He was greedy. It was in his coding. “Is it a deal?”

“Ohhh. Oh it is. I’ll get you that spark, and the parts you want.”

\----

“Here you are. I made sure it was everything you wanted.” Swindle said, holding out the protoform. In transit it had already taken shape. Indeed. It showed clear signs of jet and tank parts.

Trepan smiled and took the large protoform, cradling it tenderly in his arms. Its little optics opened and looked up at him, letting out a few broken sounds of static and binary.

“And the parts?”

“Right here in this crate. Great doing business with you. now, how about my money?” Swindle Smirked, and Trepan did the transfer. 

He turned away, nuzzling the protoform, which reached up and felt at Trepan’s face. The carrier in him almost felt guilty for what hew was about to do, but it would not kill them, so he easily suppressed it. He set them on his back, its little hands quickly clinging to him as he popped open the crate.

He went to work, unloading the delicate parts and entering her room where Overlord lay. He had already cleaned out the damaged components, which he set to replacing. He had done this about a dozen times at the institute. Old and new.

“What do you think? This will be you soon.” Trepan purred softly, smiling as the protoform nuzzled him. “Like me already? Good. That will help.”

It was slow work. But slowly Trepan replaced the cradle for the spark. Finally he went to Overlord's helm, slowly unhooking his brain module with the utmost care. Corruption was lessened if the module was reattached after the spark managed to integrate into the frame.

Now it was for one of the hardest parts. Trepan removed the little protoform from his back, stroking its head. The sooner he did it, the less chance there was for rejection. The younger the spark, the less the chance of corruption.

“Shhhh. Go to sleep.” Trepan let out his needles, pressing them into the still soft metal. The protoform shrieked, before doing as he wished, its mind hardly developed enough to fight the interface. He erased what he didn’t want. The memory of Trepan just now hurting it, a few conflicting personality codes, and an altercation to the deep coded paint color they would of had if given their own body. Then he did a few quick tweaks, memory imprints and behavior quirks he copied to decrease the chances of the memories Trepan wanted to be kept from being damaged.

He didn’t care about Overlord’s memories of Megatron, or of the prison. All that mattered was him, and their child.

His hand transformed, saw spinning to life. “I wish I could of done this before you took shape. But sadly Swindle was to slow for that, but you won’t feel anything.”

The sentio metallico was easy to cut through, and soon, Trepan had the green spark in his hands. Gently, but quickly he moved the spark to the waiting cradle, setting it inside. Taking a defibrillator, Trepan pressed it to the spark, and gave it a hard jolt.

The spark took to the frame instantly. The cradle closed around it, and Trepan could hear the clicks and whirs of Overlord's body slowly coming to life. Trepan quickly moved back to Overlord’s helm, reconnecting his brain module, the biolights of which flicked on and pulsed softly.

Slowly Overlord's paint regained its color. his vents popped open and vented hot air. Trepan clasped his hands, smiling as his mate was again back. 

Hopefully he would remember most of his existence.

He carefully and lovingly replaced Overlord’s helmet, closing his chest. “Overlord? Can you hear me?”

There was no movement at first. But then a servo twitched, and plush lips parted.

“Overlord.” Trepan repeated, running his servos over Overlord’s brow.

His optics instantly turned on, red and bright, and the massive duocon grabbed Trepan hard by the neck. He blinked though, crushing grip going gentle. The massive hand cupped Trepan's face then.

“... Pan-cake.” Overlord let him go, moving to sit up, but Trepan quickly pressed against him, shaking his head, “I didn’t know you were on.. on...” he held his head, frowning.

“Shhhhh. What is the last thing you rememebr clearly?”

“I was... There was red. The lighting was red. I was in a room and it was red. Then the red was gone...” he suddenly sat up, grin wicked. “Megatron. he’s here. Megatron is here.”

“NO!”

Overlord stopped, and stared down at Trepan. ‘What?”

“No! You're staying here with me! You’re on cybertron. Not on that ship!” Trepan took Overlord’s hand, no longer able to hold back his tears. “I did so much to bring you back. You will just be taken away from me again. He always takes you away from me!”

Overlord looked at Trepan. His mind was hazy, and he felt confused. But he remembered coming to Trepan and asking him to come with him to.. Some where... And Trepan telling him no.

“Should of thought of that when I came for you.” he got up, ignoring Trepan and staggering to the door way. He felt very weak and his frame felt wrong. Like it wasn’t supposed to be this heavy. He looked at his hands. They were his yes. He remembered them. Seeing them many times, buried deep in the innards of bots, but they felt too big.

“Something is wrong.” he said quietly, “My body feels wrong.”

Trepan was at his side quickly, pulling him down to kneel. “Shhhh. Nothing is wrong. You’re with me now. Just some complications with your healing.” he pulled Overlord’s head down. The spark’s coding was not quit matching up with Overlord’s body but Trepan could change that easily. “I missed you.”

Overlord grunted, large hand resting on Trepan’s hip, leaning down more so their noses brushed. he said nothing, just gently nuzzled against the other.

“Mütter is a medic now.” Trepan said softly.

Overlord chuckled. ‘He’s a little young don’t you... He is... He is young isn’t he?”

There was some memory corruption. “No. He’s a million years old.”

“Oh... He.... I’m glad. He is a smart boy.” he nuzzled at Trepan again, ignorant to the soft click of his needles extending.

“I think we should leave the city and go into the wilds. Make a new life for us. A new family.” Trepan said softly.

“After I kill Megatron.” Overlord said, smirking, “I was close. I can do it.”

Trepan’s smile went sad. “I see.” It would be tricky to do it. But he could manage just a few more adjustments before Overlord turned the tables.

So he slipped the needles into Overlord’s neck.

\-----

“What did you do with it!”

Swindle held up his hands. “Do with what. I didn’t do anything.”

Starscream bared his denta, snarling. “I have evidence you were at a hot spot, volunteering as a nurturer! The protoform you were tasked with is gone!” He grabbed Swindle’s neck.

“I handed it off to someone else. Work wasn’t for-” he gulped as Chromia lifted her gun and used it to tap the side of her head.

“He had sparklings three weeks ago. He’s on his wits end.” Windblade said, arms folding over her chest, “Don’t lie to him. He can tell you are. If you tell us, I will make sure he doesn’t kill you.”

Swindle frowned, or more fittingly, pouted. He may like money, but he liked living too. “I sold it, alright?”

“You SOLD a point one percenter, duocon type spark?!” Starscream shrieked, “To whom?!”

“Trepan.”

Starscream blinked. “Who... You.... Overlord’s....” he let Swindle go, “What did he want with it?”

“I don’t know. He wanted a spark, and he wanted parts needed to replace the cradle for a spark chamber.” Swindle held up his hands, “I-” 

Starscream punched Swindle in the face, making a quick call to Wheeljack.

“Can you revive a dead body with a spark transferal?” Starscream asked.

With his answer, he punched Swindle again. “Arrest him. Make sure he DOESN’T break out again.”

\---

Mütter stood alone in the apartment, which was empty, save for a note. He turned as the door was forced open, Ultra Magnus and Megatron forcing themselves in.

“Carrier isn’t here.” Mütter said, bowing his head out of habit to Megatron, “He’s gone. Took everything and left.”

Megatron stepped forward, glaring. “Boy, if you are lying-”

“I wanted him to melt sire down. Sell the unutrium for money.” he held out the note to him, “Either way, I don’t think carrier intends to bother you.”

Megatron snatched the datapad away, looking at it. His scowl grew deeper as he read the small message.

_My little Lordling,_

_Sire and I are going away. Sire will be good from now on. I made sure of it._

_Love, Carrier_


	2. Chapter 2

Their new home was smaller then his apartment, which... while not necessarily large, had enough room. But it was only temporary. the NAIL bots had built many makeshift places out where cybertron’s cities had been erased.

They were rebuilding. and it was the perfect place to worm in.

Trepan could not work yet. Overlord had been... Very hard to rewrite. His spark was new, btu his memories remained. He had not forgotten anything about his old lessons.Trepan had taught him tricks. And he had fought hard. But Trepan was better. And he had won. Overlord didn’t remember any of it of course.

But that was the end of it. Trepan had his needles removed as soon as they settled. He had fixed everything he needed to. Overlord was perfect now.

If one spoke to him and had known him before, there would be no difference. And there wasn’t. Not really. He may have no longer cared to kill Megatron, but he had no trigger word that made him obey every command. he could say no and reject Trepan if he wanted to. He could still be who he always had been. A sadistic killer.

Trepan would never take away Overlord’s free will.

But now, Trepan was important to him. His future, comfort, well being. Overlord now had a reason to reject his sadism for the better. To protect Trepan, he would behave as best he could.

“Gonna go to work.” Overlord said quietly, petting Trepan’s head, “You will be alright?”

Trepan smiled, taking Overlord’s huge hand and holding it to his cheek. “Yeah. I’ll be fine. I’m almost one hundred percent. Then I can look for a medic to work for. I’ll be useful out here.”

Overlord hummed, flicking at Trepan’s antenna a few times before standing.

“Overlord?”

“Hmm?” the former decepticon paused, turning to look at him.

“I want another sparkling.” Trepan smiled cutely, but Overlord only laughed.

“We will see.”

\------

Overlord lifted a bundle of beams onto his shoulder, trekking over to the construction sight. His big frame was proving very useful to his foreman.

“Look at you. Best loader i got. And you’re not even a loader.” The significantly smaller bot fumbled over his datapad. “I might have to pay you more.”

Overlord only smiled. That would be agreeable, seeing as Trepan wanted another sparkling. Overlord was not sure if thats what he wanted. He had never been there during a good chunk of Mütter’s infancy. 

It had been hard to find a group who didn’t know, or at least didn’t care who he was. It was harder then he had thought, as so many autobots and decepticons were around, trying to help as well.

They knew him. The decepticons feared him. The autobots rejected and feared him.

It made him angry. But this work, oddly enough, seemed to keep him level. It was back breaking and exhausting, even for someone like him.

Another bot quickly ran up to the warden, panicked. One of the few Autobots working on this sight. He for once didn’t notice Overlord’s presence. “Sir, we have a problem.”

“What is it this time, Chuffer? If its about-”

“We found a swarm of Insecticons, sir. They’re headed this way.” Chuffer seemed to notice Overlord was there, and shrank back a bit.

“Crap. I thought Ironhide and his group got them all ages ago. Get everyone out of here. They’ll try and eat us.”

Overlord put the bundle down, smiling. “No need. I can handle this.” This was good. he would be able to ease even more of his aggression with them.

“Do you have any weapons on you?” the foreman didn’t seems sure.

“I am a weapon.” Overlord extended the guns down his torso, looking down at Chuffer with a smirk. “Where are they coming from?”

“I.. uh.... uh... They are... That... Th-that way.” Chuffer pointed to the east and Overlord went in that direction, smirk developing into a full on sadistic grin

\-----

When Trepan woke up, Overlord was home, looking at him intently.

“Ah... You’re home. He rubbed his optics and sat up from the berth. “Did everything go well?”

“I got a bonus.” Overlord grinned, full on grinned, leaning over Trepan and kissing him, “The foreman was grateful for me fighting off some insecticons. So he gave me a bonus of two thousand shanix.”

“You fought? Overlord- “

“Shhhh. Its fine. Just some of those swarm things.” Overlord kissed him again, pushing Trepan onto his back. “You smell nice.”

“Well I...” Trepan could barely get a word in, with Overlord’s constant kissing, “My heat is-”

“So thats why you asked for a sparkling.” the duocon pet Trepan’s cheek with his knuckles, smiling, “Okay then. A sparkling we will have.”

The room turned green as his chest pulled back, a massive hand diving between Trepan’s burning hot thighs. How long had it been since he had been with his dearest? Centuries, many of them.

Another kiss, the sounds of Trepan’s own chest plates and interface opening up. Trepan moved to connect his link cable, and Overlord suddenly flinched.

A massive hand curled around his spark, pulling, yanking. It hurt. It... Overlord blinked and it was gone as soon as Trepan’s cable connected. Trepan pet his face, and Overlord smiled, fishing his own cable.

“You can name this one.” Overlord purred, completing the link and leaning down over his lovely pet.

\------

“The medic says it’s going to be a jet.”

Overlord hummed, spooning behind Trepan, a hand rubbing his belly. A moment before he left for work. “Oh?”

“Yeah... Its because you have two CNA types. So, the sparkling can be...” Trepan counted on his fingers, still too groggy to function normally. “Four things. A drill like me, a jet, a tank, or a duocon like you.”

“How likely is it to be a duocon?”

“Almost impossible. And possibly lethal to me if it did happen. Its spark could blow mine out.” Trepan, laced their fingers together. “So we have to be careful if we have anymore after this.”

Overlord hummed again, dozing off. He was not sleeping well anymore. Ever since the spark merge, he often had dreams of seeing his spark in another person’s hand. It was terrifying, and the feelings in the dreams, the sensations, the emotions. It was too real to be fabricated. 

A memory?

Impossible. If it was a memory, then he would of been dead. He clearly was not dead. Overlord forced himself to sit up, and leave the berth and his pet. He gave a few final rubs to to the other's stomach, feeling a small swell.

He was financially responsible for a while more now. Trepan would not be able to work.

He opened his mouth to say goodbye, but Trepan was already sleeping. How cute.

He left after setting out a cup of enriched energon. Another hard days work was ahead of him.

\------

There was a new worker at the sight. They had large finials and their helmet jutted far over their forehead. They were familiar. And It took Overlord all morning to remember.

The Warden.

Overlord was in a stupor the rest of the workday, remembering Garrus-9. His work slacked due to his daydreaming, he was sure. But he did not care, the memories were good ones, until the end of course. With the Wreckers. What had happened after that. Overlord remembered feeling lost, and the place he was in, was red.

It glowed red.

“Good work today.” The new bot said to him. They had no markings. They were unaligned. NAIL probably. They fact they were so friendly meant they didn’t know him.

That was fine.

Overlord just smiled. “My pet... My mate... He is carrying, so I need to earn my keep.”

“A sparkling? Really? I never saw one.” he reached out to touch Overlord’s chest, probably a friendly pat of congratulations.

And then... he was on his back. His chest open. he had nothing anymore. The warden was over him, hand slamming down onto his spark chamber, pulling...

When Overlord came out of it, he had the other’s hand in his, crushed and useless. He let them go quickly. “I am sorry. I...”

He messed up. Would he loose his job over this?He stood silently as the foreman yelling at him.

“I’m going to have to dock your pay for today and give it to him so he can pay for repairs! What were you thinking?!”

Overlord clenched his hands into fists. “I... I remembered something and...” He clenched his hand’s tighter, “It.... Triggered me...”

The foreman rubbed his face. “People were telling me... You were not a good person. I gave you a chance cause I didn’t know you. And war makes people do things they normally would not.” He sighed, “Do you have PTSD or are you a ticking time bomb?”

Overlord had never been a ticking time bomb. He had always been in control of his anger. In fact, he could not recall ever being truly angry. Every kill, every act of torture, it had been him ‘having fun’. Not until.... Something Trepan did. He did not remember what it was, but it had made him very bitter on Garrus-9.

“I think I may have PTSD.” Overlord mumbled. It was the only thing he could say to get out of this, and not loose his job. He did not think he did. But that bot moving to touch him... That had set off a memory. Or... something. It could not be a memory.

“Find someone to talk to. I’ll tell the guy that you’re sick. He’ll understand I’m sure.”

Overlord went home, dower and moody. Trepan would not be happy.

And he was right.

“I hurt someone at work today.” That was he had managed to say before Trepan dissolved into a panic. 

“How could you?! You promised me you would behave!” Trepan stomped his foot, red faced and shaky.

“I didn’t do it on-”

“Shut up! I did so much for you! For us to be here! And you go beating someone up!” Trepan slapped his hip, “Megatron could be looking for us and your causing problems! It will lead him here!”

“If he bothers us I will deal with him. Its fine.” He was not in the mood to be yelled at, but him talking back was not helping. Just the mention of him fighting Megatron made Trepan even more hysterical.

“No! No You can’t fight him! You can’t! he always ruins everything! If you fight him you will get obsessed again! I can’t fix you anymore!”

Overlord stared down at Trepan. Optics wide. “Anymore?”

Trepan sniffed, wiping his eyes. “What?”

“You said... You said you can’t fix me anymore.” The back of his neck was itching, and Overlord moved, grabbing Trepan hard on his shoulder. “What did you do to me?”

“Y-You’re hurting me.” Trepan tried to tug away, “I didn’t say...I didn’t say that.”

“You did. You... Did you use your needles on me?” Overlord squeezed tighter, trepan’s shoulder collapsing under his fingers. he took no notice of the damage, instead moving to shove Trepan into a wall and wrap a hand around his throat. “You did didn’t you? What did I tell you all those years ago Trepan? When I first brought you home?”

“The sparkling-”

“What did I tell you?!” He was angry now. It seemed Trepan had that ability. Make him mad.

Yes he remembered now. Why he got so mad. Why he was so bitter. Trepan had refused to come with him to Garrus-9. Overlord had trusted him to be by his side always. But that trust was falsely placed.

“Thats-” Trepan was looking around the room. It was something he did when looking up an excuse. “Thats not what I meant! Please... My... My shoulder you crushed it. The Sparkling!”

“Then what did you mean? Tell me before I rip off your head!” He squeezed the and around his neck harder, and he could hear a crunch.

“You...” Trepan sobbed, voice glitchy he looked around a little more, before his eyes widened. He found his excuse. “You died. A-And I fixed you.”

Overlord let his grip loosen. He was now reminded of his dreams. “I died?”

“Y-You were on a ship. And... And you got out. The Warden... The one you... You hurt he ripped out your spark. I fixed you.” Trepan sobbed harder, every breath making a weird buzzing noise. “P-Please... I love you. I-I’m sorry... I’m sorry.”

“Are you lying?”

Trepan shook his head hard. “Mütter... He can... Confirm. Megatron can... They whole ship can confirm. Please. I would never rewrite you. I promise. I promised I never would do that.”

“How did you get me here then? What did you do?” Trepan though had devolved past words, sobbing and crying hard, until finally his voice gave out, and he silently cried with only the occasional long buzz and pop of a broken vocalizer. Overlord let him go, and pulled him into a hug. Pressing his face to Trepan’s neck. What ever trepan did. he was thankful. He was alive. And to his relief, Trepan hugged him back with his good arm, and did not flinch away.

“I’m not mad.” Overlord said softly. He picked Trepan up and set him on the table, fumbling blindly in a few of their unpacked boxes. He found some tools, and set to strip the dented metal off Trepan’s shoulder. He worked carefully, chewing his lips as he concentrated to try and not hurt him more.

He could fix the shoulder. The neck though... Either it would self repair, or he would have to take him to a medic.

Once he was sure Trepan’s joint was fixed enough to move with no issue, Overlord kneeled down, taking both of Trepan’s hand’s into his own. He played with them quietly, avoiding looking at Trepan’s face. He did not know how to make this better. He looked to the side, thinking. What would make up for this?

He looked back up at Trepan, smirking coyly. “Be my Conjunx Endura.”

Trepan opened his mouth, buzzing again. He wiped his face, nodding a few times.

Overlord smiled. Yes... This would fix everything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If anyone wants to know, the sparkling will be named Legion.


End file.
